Cursed With Love
by Amants Rose
Summary: The woman looks up, brown eyes shinning with resolution and acceptance. Admitting defeat to the crowd whom she once considered her friends. There was nothing she could do now. No one to go to. Not now when they knew who she really was. One-Shot.


Greetings my beautiful readers!  
I know, I know - why didn't you update Polyamory last month?! Well, my birthday was on the 6th and my family decided to, expectantly, sent me off to vacation around my state. Weird, but true. I have gone from Houston, to Dallas (where my brother awaited me and took me out along with his girlfriend), to San Antonio and so on. I spent about five days in each city and I am beat! Of course everything was paid - thanks mom and dad! - and the only thing I really had to worry about was finishing writing the last chapters of this story. I can proudly say I am 80% done.

So as a reward for myself and to you I give you this little present. It's been sitting at the back of my head for a while now and wouldn't leave me until I wrote it and uploaded it. It's long, the longest I ever imagine myself writing and took me a day to write and another day to check for any mistakes. There's still some so I apologize in advance, this is not beta-proofed so bear with me.

Polyamory will be up in a few days! :D

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters present in this story. They are for play but will be put back in their proper place once I'm done with them.

* * *

Sunlight streamed across the grassy meadow, the trees swinging softly with the wind. The heat penetrating through the walls and people currently residing in the small village.

Screams of hate surround the air, anger and frustration lacing the voices of the villagers. Pitch forks glinting off the sun, torches heating the gathering of people already drenched in sweat from the hot day. Curses and spit thrown at the face of the woman bound to the cross standing at the center of the once peaceful town.

"_Burn! Burn!"_

She tries tugging once more on her bonded hands, feeling the already scrapped skin of her wrists burn with vigor. The smell of blood invading her nostrils before pain radiated from her wounds. Her feet were fearing the same fate as her hands, the sound of drops landing in a puddle the only thing her mind can concentrate on.

With knowledge of the art of healing she knew her body has already lost too much blood. Knew that time was slowly ticking by before she either died from blood loss or by the fire they were already going to set upon her.

Many people had often commented how much fire she held in her heart, her spirit resilient and never taking no for an answer. How she wouldn't lose hope or faith that something good would come out of the effort she strive to achieve within herself.

But now... now she was too tired to continue fighting.

Her spirit to deflated to continue on believing.

Her loved one had almost suffered this same fate. She, who was the most honest and friendliest person you could have ever met had almost been terminated this way. As if she wasn't human, a daughter from the Lord, made of the same flesh as the people screaming up at her.

They had been foolishly tricked by the kind words of their neighbors, the sincere smiles of their friends. It was nothing but a lie wrapped up in a nice bow. They were only snakes slithering their way into their lives before striking with their fangs and crushing them with the last – _fatal_ – blow.

If she could go back to the beginning and erase that fateful day everything would've been different. _She_ would still be here, alive and _he_ would still be loving her. But they're not and now her carcass was laying on the ocean floor, food for the sea creatures to feast upon.

She had thought she had knew what love was, but she was mistaken. Love is a fickle creature, taking advantage on desperate souls.

Nothing of that matters now.

The woman looks up, brown eyes shinning with resolution and acceptance. Admitting defeat to the crowd whom she once considered her friends. There was nothing she could do now. No one to go to. Not now when they knew who she really was.

It was too late for forgiveness.

Too late for redemption.

Her fate has already been decided for her and no one can change it now.

"_Burn, witch!"_

* * *

"_Come on! Let's go to the river, the water feels amazing."_

_Sounds of small feet running soon followed, two small children laughing as they crash landed on the water. They smiled with glee as they began a game in which one hides beneath the water as the other tries to find them only using the water's surface as their looking-glass._

_They stopped their game once they heard the pitter-patter of raindrops falling on the water, knowing too well how the river changed with the oncoming onslaught of the rain. Friends had gone and left with the raising water, never to be seen again._

_Running with all their might they ran to their respective houses, the girl to her cabin and the boy to his. With a final wave they promised each other to play the following day, hoping the weather agreed in their favor and the sun came out._

"_Where have you been?"_

_Soaked to the skin the boy smiled sheepishly at his mother, his warm coffee-colored eyes swimming with joy._

"_I was playing with Rose."_

_His mother smiled in return, ushering him to the fireplace to dry and warm him. "You two are always together. I'm happy you have such a wonderful friend Dimitri."_

"_I'm glad I do too mama."_

_His mother began singing, the melody almost drifting him to sleep. He couldn't deny he loved spending time with his friend, she was the only girl who actually had the will to talk to him. It often confused him why the other girls didn't want to speak to him but he didn't let that single act bother him._

_Rose was the best friend he could ever ask for. She didn't think he was weird or dumb when he let the rabbits free when they got caught in the traps. Or think he was funny when he considered his mama to be the light of his life._

_Because she was. She would soothe his wounds, feed him and sing to him when he went to bed. His father found it foolish of her to do so but she continued on doing so, even though he felt his dad's disapproval crushing him in waves._

"_Mama."_

"_Mmm-hmm?"_

"_I want to marry Rose when I am big and strong!"_

"_Oh Dimitri," she laughed as she kissed his forehead, brushing her soft fingers through his hair, "I dream of the day you do."_

_He loves his mama, because she understands him and encourages him. She was the light illuminating his little body. The source of inspiration that drives him to become a better person. To not let others take advantage on innocent people and to help those in need._

_He knew Rose was like his mother, always thinking about others before herself. She was radiant like the sun, always smiling and laughing at his jokes even if he had retold them over ten times. She, like his mama, understood him and never passed judgment._

_She was light._

_She was happiness._

_She was **home**._

* * *

Coffee brown eyes watch as the people before him start throwing rocks at the bleeding woman strapped to the wooden cross. His insides scream with rage to stop them but he doesn't and continues on watching as they inflict more pain on her.

Back then he would have stood in front of her, taking the beatings meant for her but now he just stands in silence. He once thought that what they had, the love they felt, was true but it was all but a filthy lie.

A curse set upon him by a _witch_.

Everything they had once shared was now lying in the dust somewhere deep in the bowels of hell. Nothing was true, it was all a farce for her to get close to his family, to his people.

His mother would be rolling in her grave right at this moment at the thought of her son thinking such a way but it was true. She had not only took his heart, but his soul as well.

_'Father was right, she only brought death to the family.'_

His fists clenched as he heard her gasp in pain, her teeth grinding against each other to stop another sound from escaping from her lips. Her face covered in sweat and blood, lacerations covering her arms and legs as blood seeped through the cuts.

She twisted her head around, her eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on him. Guilt swirled in the depths of her brown irises, along with a speck of longing.

He looked away, not wanting to see the woman he had fallen in love and still imbecility is still in. There was too much anger and pain hanging between them, lives lost because of their undying, stupid, love.

_'I will not let myself be bewitched by her again. I know now her true form. She is inhuman.'_

With one last look in her direction he began walking away, not being able to stand and watch as the people continued on throwing rocks at her. It was too much to bear, his heart not fully healed enough to truly hate her like how she was supposed to be hated as.

* * *

"_How are you my dear?"_

_Looking up from her knitting the small brunette smiles warmly at her mother, soft tresses swinging back and forth behind her._

"_I am good mother, why do you ask?"_

"_I just want to know how you are fearing Rosemarie since I only see you when we are about to eat supper," her mother asks, reaching forward and curling a wayward strand with her finger before setting it behind her ear._

"_Is that young boy, Dimitri, the one causing such bright swirls of colors to emit from your aurora?"_

_Rose chuckles lightly, nodding her head at her mother. "Yes, he is."_

"_Then I must thank him for taking such good care of my daughter." Her mother flashes her a small joyful grin before resuming her knitting._

_It didn't take a genius to figure out Rose loves her mother above all else. Her father was never around since the day she was born and deep inside she was glad because then she wouldn't have had the type of bond she had with her mother now._

_Her mother is the only family she has left, her mother's family had all died in their cabin when their village was ravished by a fire. The idea of having aunts and uncles warmed her insides but she knew it was not meant to be._

_Not that she was sadden, because she has her mother. And Dimitri._

_He had sprung in her life like a gift sent from God. Since the day they met they had become inseparable, always going where the other went. She loves his mother as well, Olena was a beautiful and kind woman._

_He had often said that both his mother and her shared the same qualities such as helping others and putting them before themselves. She laughed when he said so and he huffed in embarrassment in response._

_Often they had crossed paths with his father, whom she didn't like since his aurora was always consumed in blackness. Not a speck of color marred the gray fog surrounding his soul._

_Her mother had also warned her to stay away from him and to protect both Dimitri and his mother from his father. At first, when she was young and couldn't yet see auroras she had questioned her, but as time went by and her powers come in full swing she knew what her mother was talking about._

_The man was death on legs, always watching her when she passed by him. When liquor consumed his body it was harder to avoid him, his predator eyes always watching her every move. One time she had told Dimitri about it and he in return always tried to steer her away from his father._

_It had worked for sometime before his mother started noticing their strange behavior, especially when she was invited over to dinner._

_In the end Rose had tried to explain to Olena as much as she could without giving anything away. Dimtri's mother smiled sadly at her and nodded in understanding, from that day on she never had to eat whenever his father was present. _

_Even though her heart ached for her to spill everything about her family's lineage of seeing people's aurora her mother had ofter warned her that they wouldn't understand._

_If people found out you could do or see something out of the ordinary they would automatically condemn you as a witch or demon. As if your body has been possessed and they must purge you from the demons taking hold of your soul._

_Their ways were savaged, she recalled as one time the whole village was summoned to view the purging of a woman whom stated she talked to those who were passed over. Her eyes trailed over the semi clothed woman as she spewed that 'they' were displeased at the way she was being treated._

_The villagers screamed their hatred at her and her 'spirits' before the priest came forward and started reading the holy book at her. After he had finished he asked the woman one last time if she still saw the spirits._

_She laughed and replied she did and before Rose could fathom what was happening her mother had clutched her face towards her covered chest as the screams of the woman penetrated the still air. The sound of flames liking the hay the only thing that indicated she had been burned to death._

"_Rose?"_

"_Yes, mother?"_

_Her mother leaned forward, her face creased with worry. "Has he found out what we are?"_

"_No, mother."_

_Her mother sighed and her once tense shoulders sagged in relief, "Okay."_

"_Can I ever tell him? We are almost turning fifteen summers, he should be wise enough to understand us. I know him, he would never-"_

"_No, you must not."_

"_But mother-" Rose protested._

"_Rose, I love Dimitri very much but even he would not be able to understand us. Trust me child, it is better to keep it a secret. If your friendship ever blooms to become something more it would be best to keep him in the dark to protect him. That way if you are ever discovered they will only punish you and not him._

"_Do you understand?"_

"_Yes, mother."_

_Her mother reached forward, swiping her finger underneath her eyes to catch the falling tears._

"_My sweet Rose, it is the only way we can protect our love ones. It is how it must be."_

* * *

_With one last push Dimitri burst from the forest, his feet skidding to a halt as he waited for Rose to join him. He saw he small body a few feet away from him, her running slowing down to a jog._

"_I win." He shouted at her, a small grin taking over his lips._

"_Only because I let you."_

"_Ha ha ha, I am dying with laughter. You did not, I was ten feet in front of you throughout the race."_

_With a swipe of her hand she dismissed him, her heavy breaths calming down before she smirked at him, walking up to him and taking him by surprised as she jumped on his back._

"_So comrade, where are we off to? You didn't make me run for nothing, right?"_

_He clicked his tongue at her, wrapping his arms beneath her legs and walking to the small secluded waterfall he had discovered a few days ago. "No, I am taking you somewhere."_

"_Oh, how **romantic**..."_

"_Shut up before I drop you."_

_They walked in silence, Rose taking the change of scenery before her. The grass had changed into a darker shade of green, small plants sprouting from the ground. The trees had also changed, becoming longer and wider as they moved on further._

_She was about to open her mouth to ask yet again where they were going when the sound of rushing water stopped her. The sound started becoming louder as they threaded further in and before she knew it she was face-to-face with a beautiful waterfall._

"_Dimitri..."_

_The crystal clear water looked back at her, tropical plants and trees surrounding the enclosed area. The air smelled fresh, as if they had just made a new batch of oxygen and planted it here along with everything else._

_She was, for the first time in her life, awestruck by the beauty of the place._

"_So... do you like it?"_

_Rose turned towards the blushing male before her, his eyes clouded with excitement and fear._

"_I don't like it, I love it."_

_Dimitri smiled in return, setting her on her feet before taking off his clothes and going into the water. Rose soon joined him, their lack of modesty not disturbing them in the least, already accustomed to the other for a year since they declared their love for each other._

_They swam and enjoyed the beautiful view before them, basking in the glow of their love before joining their bodies together. They stayed in the secluded area for hours until the day started growing dark, returning to their respective homes. _

_Unprepared for the tragedy that's about to rock both of their worlds._

* * *

She saw him leave, his tall body weaving through the crowd. It hurt her that he was leaving her to this fate, but she knew she shouldn't mourn his loss of presence. To him she was just the woman who had crushed his hopes and dreams, who had thrust a knife at his heart.

He doesn't know the sacrifice she has made for him, her one true and only love.

She has saved him from this fate. With her pleas and his lack of knowledge of her true heritage he was sparred from being burned like how she was about to be. Her mother had often said true love required sacrifice.

Now she understands what her mother had done.

Now she can be in peace with her mother's soul.

* * *

_The hard knocks on the wooden door awoke Rose from her deep slumber, trudging through her cabin and opening the door to be face with a heavily panting Dimitri. The small traces of sleep evaporated into thin air as she saw her love gasping for air before her._

"_What is wrong?"_

"_They... the people... they are coming for your mother."_

_Rose felt panic rising, clogging her throat in a vise grip as she heard Dimitri gasp out the words she always dreaded to hear._

"_I was coming... from the blacksmith and heard... some men and woman speaking about your mother. They have branded her a traitor to the village having seen her talk with one of the men from the opposing village. They are coming to get her now."_

_She felt tears running freely down her cheeks as she ran to her mother's room, swinging open the drapes and walking to the sleeping figure of her mother. Crouching down she moved her body, desperately trying to wake her before the people came._

"_Mother? Mother wake up, we must leave at once."_

_Her mother lay unresponsive, Rose feeling dread taking hold of her. She opened her senses, hoping to see her mother's bright gold aurora swimming before her but she was met with blackness._

_'No, it can't be.'_

"_Mother, you must wake. We have to go at once!"_

_But her mother still laid in bed, her chest still and not rising. With shaking hands Rose leaned forward and placed a hand to her mother's cheek, the cold skin chilling her warm one._

_Hard choking sobs took hold of her body as Dimitri walked inside the room, his arms holding a crying Rose as she buried her face in his neck, the dead body of her mother laying still in bed._

* * *

"_Oh Rose, how I bless the day you came into my son's life."_

_Olena touched the hair of her son's beautiful wife, her warm smile bringing fresh set of tears to Rose's eyes. Rose got off the chair and sat down on the bed Olena was resting on, circling her arms around Dimitri's mother's thin frame._

_A year had passed since her mother's death, Dimitri and his mother taking her in with them even though some of the people from the village wanted her gone._

_They had dropped the charges set upon her mother, seeing as Rose didn't know anything about what had transpired between her mother and that man._

_At first Rose had considered herself to old to be looked after, already nineteen summers and going on to another one in a few months, but Olena had welcomed her with open arms, raising her like the daughter she never had. Over the year they had bonded more, Olena ecstatic when Dimitri asked Rose to marry him. The ceremony was small but intimate, only their closest friends attending to their joining in matrimony._

_It was more than Rose had ever wanted in life, but her mother's sudden death still rocked her to the core. Dimitri's father was not making matters better, always giving snide remarks as how she will be the death of his family._

_Dimitri had even punched his father when he had taken it to far and called her a whore like her mother. Olena didn't scowl Dimitri but rather praised him for defending his wife, his father had packed his things and left the house._

_It's been months since they had last seen of him and everything was going smoothly until Olena started getting sick. At first it was a small cold, until it evolved into something more. Rose, knowing the ways of healing thanks to her mother couldn't find an explanation for what was happening to her._

_Through the passing weeks Olena had gotten weaker until she couldn't walk anymore, her own weight taking a toll on her body. Dimitri and her had traveled all around, desperate to find a healer who could help her but so far they hadn't had such luck._

"_Rose?"_

"_Yes, mama?"_

"_I must confess something to you as I feel my end is about to come," her body shook as a vicious cough took over._

"_Don't say that, we still have the village next to the dragon stone to search through. Your salvation may be there."_

"_No, I know I don't have much time left, so please hear me out."_

_Rose felt her eyes prickled at the sides, not wanting to let the tears fall because she will only be admitting defeat. "Okay. What is it?"_

"_I know what you are, what you **truly** are."_

_A small gasp reverted throughout the room, the brunette looking at the small delicate female before her in fear and guilt. This was what she always wanted to avoid, the moment when her loved ones looked at her with disgust and hatred._

"_Don't worry dear, I am not judging you. It does not matter to me what you are but what you have become." Olena stated as she looked into her daughter's frightened eyes. "I have loved you regardless of what special powers you hold, because I have seen you only use your abilities for good._

"_I have watched you for years and know that your art of healing actually comes from within, not from the herbs you crunch and the creams you make. I also know of your ability to see auroras, that's why I trusted your judgment when you warned me about my husband. If it wasn't for you I would still be living with him and letting him mistreat both my son and myself. For that I thank you._

_You have opened my eyes and made me look at your kind with different eyes. At first I admit I was afraid of what you would do to my son but as I saw the both of you become friends my worries vanished. I love you Rose, don't ever forget that but you also need to tell Dimitri of who you truly are. He won't think less of you and will accept you without a second thought," she stopped as another round of coughing took over._

"_Tell him before it's too late."_

"_I will. I promise."_

_Olena smiled before drifting back to sleep. Dimitri came over a few hours later and as they sat together in silence they felt the life slowly leave Olena's peaceful body._

* * *

The priest had walked up on the podium, opening the holy book and began reading, splashing holy water at the woman between phrases. The people were quiet as they focused they energy on the woman, her once beautiful silky brown hair now matted and tangled with dried blood trailing down from the gash on her forehead.

Everyone was to immersed with the ritual that they didn't see the man making his way behind the church, bow and arrow in hand, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"_Do not fear what you are about to suffer. _

_Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, _

_that you may be tested, _

_and for ten days you will have tribulation. _

_Be faithful unto death, _

_and I will give you the crown of life."_

"_Amen."_

* * *

"_I know what you are you little wench!"_

_Turning around Rose was met with Dimitri's father, his eyes burning with malice as they stared back at her. He reeked of liquor, his breath only inches away from her own. As his words registered in her braid, Rose felt her hands clench._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Don't play dumb with me, I know who you are! I heard both you and my wife talking a few months ago and at first I didn't understand most of what she was saying but now I know. I remember when I saw your ma heal that woman who was in childbirth when I was heading to the brothel. The babe wasn't cryin' and I knew it was dead but with a few words coming from your ma's lips it suddenly came back to life._

"_I ain't stupid, I know she was a witch just like you. And now everyone will know the truth."_

_Rose gritted her teeth together as she saw Dimitri's dad saunter away towards the village square. She couldn't allow anything to happen to him, couldn't live with the thought of the people harming him._

_Before she knew it she found herself running back to her cabin, placing their things in the satchel, ready to move it needed be. She heard the front door open, revealing her husband in his hunting clothing. _

_He questionably looked at the prepared bag, quirking an eyebrow at her. She rushed towards him, her hands grasping him and turning him back outside. She grabbed the bag, throwing it over her shoulder and closing the door to their once peaceful home._

"_We must go. We don't have enough time."_

"_What do you mean? What is going on?"_

_She was about to explain when she heard yelling coming from the village square. "We don't have time, we must go. Now."_

_He automatically started following her, running down the hill to where their cabin rested on. As they started heading towards the woods more yelling came from their left, followed by screams to their right. _

_They were running out of time._

"_Hurry."_

_She ran towards the woods in from of her, hearing the villagers beginning to run after them. She felt hands go around her, Dimitri picking her up and running straight ahead and away from the encore of yelling behind them._

_He ran for over thirty minutes until the land in front of them dove down and a cliff stood before them. The yells penetrated the air as they got closer to where they were at. Rose's body shaking in fear and the thought of what was about to happen once they caught them._

"_What is happening?"_

"_Dimitri, just promise me that as soon as they come you will have to leave this place. It is not safe anymore."_

_His heated response was cut off she disentangled herself from him just as the whole village stood before them, pitch forks and torches clutched in each person's hand._

"_Witch! You have bewitched us into believing your human flesh. Now you shall burn along with your husband for your petty crime!"_

"_No, he has nothing to do with it. He doesn't know of what I am. I have cursed him into believing me a human woman, he is oblivious of my true form. Spare him, he is innocent."_

_She felt Dimitri tense behind her, her heart breaking as she felt him slowly move away from her. It had to be done, she couldn't bare watching him burn before her. If this lie causes him to hate her for all eternity then so be it._

_The ground seemed to shake are he rounded in front of her, bitterness swirling in his coffee brown orbs almost making them look black as night. He seethed in anger as he demanded to know if any of what she has spoken was true._

"_Yes," she replied with a heavy heart. He cursed at her, screaming in rage that he hated her before walking away. His last words causing the dam to break, tears falling from her eyes as she felt the men grab her and dragging her back to the village._

_'Love fades and soon shall mine.'_

* * *

With renown strength she awaits her impending death, thanking both her mother and Olena for loving her like a daughter and Dimitri for loving her with all of his heart. She wished the Lord will welcome her to his humble abode, the thought of heaven caused fresh tears of happiness to run down her cheeks.

_'I am ready.'_

Opening her eyes she sees one of the men come forward, torch in hand as he slowly lowers the flaming cloth wrapped on wood to the hay resting at the soles of her feet.

_'Death will be my sacrifice for my love.'_

Just as the flame is about to touch the hay an arrow flies by her feet and latches on the chest of the male. People begin screaming in panic, the priest throwing holy water at her in fear she will bestow her wrath upon him next.

"_Witch! Burn in hell!"_

Men come forward, ready to throw their torches at her when more arrows fly by her and struck their target. They begin to disband, running from her to their houses, terrified they will be the next to die.

Rose frantically looks around, hoping to catch a glimpse of her savior. Warm hands release her bonds and her body caught by a surprisingly hard body. Looking up she looks into the eyes of her husband, his eyes filled with regret and love.

"What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't live without you. I found my mother's letter, explaining everything to me, how she knew about you and your abilities. She had written that if you didn't have the chance to tell me the truth, to know that you had no ill intentions over me. Plus she wrote down you aren't able to cast curses, so I figured out the rest."

"So, you know everything?"

"Yes, and even though I should be mad at you for being selfless and sacrificing yourself for me I'm glad I got to read that letter first and came to rescue you."

He kisses her soft lips, hugging her as he makes his way towards the bags at the back of the church where he had left them. Cleaning her wounds they walk away from the village towards a new place the both can finally call home.

Dimitri looks at her, a small smile on his lips. "Just so you know, I won't let you go from now on."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

Reviews are always welcomed as well as criticism. No flames.


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